Ten Rules To Live By
by Artful Amanuensis
Summary: A succession of ten one-shots, each containing a life lesson courtesy of the delightful characters of Inuyasha.
1. Rule Number Ten

**Rule Number Ten:**

**Always pack appropriately, and be prepared for any occasion.**

**o0o**

"Uggh…errrggghhh…." Kagome made one last effort at heaving her backpack over the edge of the well, before gravity overcame.

"Oh maaaan…." She moaned, looking despondently over her shoulder at her faithful yellow backpack lying mournfully at the bottom of the well.

"Kagome!"

The girl yelped loudly at the sudden shriek of her name, and nearly released her grip on the vine she was using to pull herself out of the well in the feudal era.

She leaned her forehead against the cold wall of the well. "Shippou…you scared me."

"I'm sorry, Kagome. I was just excited to see you!"

She grinned at his happily smiling face. "I'm happy to see you too, Shippou."

Another shadow appeared behind the demon kit, blocking out the sun shining into her eyes. She could vaguely make out pointed ears.

"Inuyasha! Do you think you could…woah!" He grabbed her arms and pulled her out of the well mid-request, setting her none-too-gently on the ground. "Thanks," she replied breathlessly, straightening her pleated green skirt.

"'Bout time you got back. We've been waiting around forever."

She scowled at him. "Inuyasha, I've only been gone one night! I went back to get more supplies and…oh! My bag!" She gave him her best doe eyes. "Inuyashaaaa…."

He scowled at her suspiciously from under his thick fringe of silver bangs. "Whadda ya want now?"

"My bag! It's at the bottom of the well. I sorta dropped it."

He rolled his eyes, but leapt obligingly into the well to retrieve it, and appeared before her not three seconds later, dropping the monstrosity on the grass before her feet. Well, not before her feet. Close. On her feet would probably be a more accurate statement.

Kagome bit her lip to prevent the cry of pain that threatened to echo from her being.

Inuyasha noticed his mistake at the last second, and rather than apologizing, displayed typical Inuyasha behavior, and cast the blame on someone else, someone else being Kagome. "Well if the damn thing wasn't so heavy, this wouldn't be a problem!"

She blinked the pain away, furiously biting her tongue to keep from arguing with him. _'He's baiting you, Kagome. Don't let him ruin this perfectly beautiful day.'_

And it _was_ a beautiful day, she noticed as she hefted the heavy bag over her shoulders and made her way to the village, Shippou scampering around her legs yelling at the hanyou, who trailed behind her, arms crossed and looking slightly ashamed. _Slightly_ ashamed, but mostly irritated.

The sun was shining brightly, the weather was perfect, the slight early summer breeze carried the scent of cooking and trees, flower blossoms and grass.

'_This is going to be a _beautiful_ day!'_

**o0o**

"This is a _horrible_ day."

Sango nodded her head in silent agreement with the young miko's groan, and huddled more closely to Kirara.

Rain poured onto their campsite, extinguishing their fire, and turning the firm ground into mush beneath them.

"At least this strange blanket you brought with you is helpful, Kagome." Miroku fingered the nylon sleeping bag on which they all sat, marveling at the water-proof material.

Shippou peeled away the wrapper of yet another snack bar, munching on the granola happily. "Yeah, Kagome, and these snacks are delicious! And you don't need a fire to cook them!"

It was true. The entire group was, thankfully, content as far as hunger went. She had brought enough snacks in her poor, overstuffed bag to feed them all.

"And these umbrellas are quite useful too!" Sango twirled the umbrella appreciatively between her fingers.

Kagome smiled at her, and the group chatted together contentedly until the rain stopped an hour later, and they bedded down for the night.

**o0o**

"Come on…stupid zipper…just CLOSE! Ahhh. Much better."

Kagome got to her feet and heaved at her bulging pack. It might have been marginally smaller, due to the lack of granola bars, but if it was, it wasn't noticeable. It still bulged at every seam, and the yellow monstrosity glared at her from its spot on the ground, refusing to be complying.

Kagome heaved the pack onto her aching shoulders, and started to tip backward.

"Easy, Kagome." Miroku smiled at her, holding her upright and chuckling. "I don't think even I could bear that weight all day." He turned to look at Inuyasha, who was impatiently waiting for them to follow him out, scowling at their lack of speed. "Inuyasha. You're strong. Perhaps you should carry the pack for Kagome for a while. She has been nice enough to provide for us all…."

"Like hell, I will. It's her own damn fault. That will teach her to pack so much."

Miroku scowled at the hanyou before turning back to the slumping girl. "Here, let me carry it for a while."

"That's ok, Miroku." She waved a hand of dismissal. "I'm totally used to it. I carry this thing all the time. It isn't that bad, really!"

She smiled and ignored her aching shoulders.

Miroku shook his head. "If you're sure, then…"

'_Inuyasha's right…I pack too much. Serves me right.'_

**o0o**

"Are you sure you can make it, Kagome? You're looking very tired." Sango studied her friend, anxiously looking for signs of pain in the girl beside her.

"I'm fine, Sango. I'm just trying to make sure I keep my footing and not fall down this hill."

She looked behind her at the hill they were scaling. _'Ugh, for a little hill, this is awfully steep.'_ Her foot slipped slightly on some loose gravel and she quickly redistributed her weight over her knees, trying to keep her balance on the incline. _'And rocky…just what I need.'_

She turned forward again and followed Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha leading the way ahead of them, Shippou perched on Miroku's shoulder.

'_Nearly…there…and….'_

"Ahhhh. The top. About time."

_Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiip. _

The sound seemed to echo downward, rolling down the hill in a roar of anticipated disaster.

Kagome froze as everyone turned to look at her. "Oh no…"

Without another moment's warning, random articles began to make their escape from a large tear in the seam of Kagome's bag, and worked their way down the hill, heading straight for the river at the bottom.

She turned and watched in horror as her possessions skidded, jumped, and tumbled their way through the rocky terrain, a few stopping along the way, the rest rolling until the end of the line, meeting their watery demise.

"No! Oh no, oh no, oh no!" She felt tears prick at her eyes. "My things!"

She scrambled to get the nearly-empty pack off of her back, set it on the grass at the top of the hill, and began to make her way back down again.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and went after her, which was convenient, as she quickly lost her footing, and was soon tumbling down the hill along with the rest of her things.

A flash of red and silver, and Kagome came to a stop, courtesy of the hanyou. He scooped her up and leapt to the bottom of the hill before setting her in the grass again.

Kagome stared down at her lap and skinned knees.

"Stupid move, wench."

She sat silently, and Inuyasha smelled the onslaught of tears threatening to spill over.

He panicked. "Don't cry! Damn it! It's just some stuff! It's no big deal!"

She sniffled slightly. "I know."

"So what the hell are you crying for? We can pick up what's still dry, and whatever's in the creek you can do without."

She nodded and sniffled again, still staring at her skinned knees. "I know. I'm just… being silly." She wiped at her eyes again, and looked up to give Inuyasha a watery smile.

He frowned. "What's the problem? You've ruined stuff before? They're just possessions."

Her chin wavered, but she nodded and turned around, heading for the incline, where Sango and Miroku and Shippou had already begun to pick up her things among the rocks.

"Kagome…" Shippou held up a small package. "What's this?"

She smiled softly at him, and wiped again at her eyes. "Crayons. I picked some more up for you, because I knew you lost your last set."

"Awwww, thanks, Kagome! You're the greatest!"

She continued scanning the ground, searching for an item she fervently hoped hadn't ended up in the river.

"Fascinating." Miroku held up one of the cans of soda she had brought with her. "The last time I dropped one of these that you brought back, it exploded everywhere. This one survived."

She smiled at him, "I brought it back for you. I know you love trying new flavors."

He grinned back at her. "How thoughtful of you. Thank you, Kagome."

She nodded and went back to searching the ground. _'It has to be here…it just has to….'_

"Oh, Kagome, you brought back more hair ribbons! Are these the ones I asked you for?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I got the sturdiest ones I could, so your hair wouldn't fly in your face while fighting."

"Wonderful! Thank you, Kagome!"

'Please don't be in the river; please don't be in the river.'

She took dragging steps toward the water's edge, afraid of what she'd find.

"Oh no."

There, submersed in water and mud, sunk beneath at least a foot of water, was…

"My photo album."

She bit her lip to keep from crying, and reached into the water for the soggy book.

Inuyasha approached her from behind.

"So what? It's a book. You ruin your books all the time, and you just replace them. Granted, you scream and yell for a little while, and usually end up blaming me for it, but you replace them."

She shook her head sadly, staring at the tiny album in her lap. "Those were school books, Inuyasha." Her voice cracked and she swallowed. "This…this is irreplaceable."

He could tell she was on the verge of tears, and he knelt down beside her.

She slumped to the ground, album soaking her skirt, and covered her eyes with her hands. Inuyasha reached for the book and pulled it to him.

On the first page were tiny, black and white photos. Two smiling faces peered back at him from each one, happy and obviously in love.

"My parents." She didn't look up. She couldn't bear to see what ruined state the precious photos might be in.

Inuyasha looked at her. "But I thought your dad was…."

"He is." She swallowed again. "Those were…before he died. Those," she stopped again and swallowed hard before finishing, "are some of the only pictures I have left of him."

She looked up at him finally. "I always carry them with me. So that…so that when I'm scared, or when I'm upset, or when I'm homesick, I can look at them. And…it takes the pain away."

Inuyasha turned through the pages. An image of a young Kagome laughing with who he now knew was her father. Pictures of a tiny Souta, hugging his older sister. Her grandfather laughing at something a small Kagome said, her mother holding a little Souta on her lap, Kagome and her father holding hands, standing in front of Goshinboku, watching the sunset.

He looked at the girl sitting despondently beside him, desperately trying not to cry.

"Kagome?"

"If I…If I was never able to get back to them, for some reason…I wanted to have them with me. It's just that…the well is so unpredictable. What if it closes, and I never see them again? Or, what if something happens while I'm gone? I just feel like…if I have a piece of them with me, even if it's just a little photograph, I won't ever forget them. These are…my memories. I need them." She wiped at a few tears that crawled their way down her dirty cheeks. "Does that sound silly?"

Inuyasha thought back to all the times when he was young, wishing he had his mother with him…wishing she hadn't died and left him alone…wishing he had something of her to hold on to…wishing she could hold him one last time…wishing he could just remember her face.

"Not at all, Kagome."

She looked up at him, startled, expecting some snide remark about how ridiculous she was, but receiving, instead, empathy and understanding.

He shrugged uncomfortably under her disbelieving gaze. "You know…you can still see the pictures. It's just the book that's in bad condition…."

Kagome forced herself to finally look down at the album in his lap and realized that he was, in fact, right. The pictures held up fairly well. All she really had to do was dry them off before the water could do some serious damage, and put them in another book.

Inuyasha had already begun to pry his claws beneath the photos, gently working them out of their slots. "If you leave them in this nasty book, though, who knows what'll…oof!"

Arms wrapped firmly around his neck, she muffled into his hair, "Thanks, Inuyasha."

He blushed but allowed her to hug him, and when she pulled away, he shoved the album at her. "Yeah, well…I'm gonna go…help the others pick up all your shit." He stalked away, still blushing.

She finished taking the photos out of the book and dried them gently on her skirt before picking herself up and heading back toward the others. The hillside was now clear of her possessions, and Sango, Miroku, and Shippou waited at the top of the hill for her.

Inuyasha walked the rest of the way up the hill next to her, carrying several cups of ramen and some bags of potato chips with him. She grinned. "I see you found what I brought back for you."

He blushed again and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like a thanks, turning his head away and continuing his trek up the incline.

"All that stuff in your bag…most of it was for us."

She turned to look at him.

He shifted his shoulders and continued quietly. "The only thing you brought that was specifically for you was that photo album. Everything else…was for one of us, or the whole group."

She stared at him. "Well…you're my friends. I like bringing you things. And a lot of it was for me too…."

"But you share it with all of us. Right down to your blankets and the first-aid kit."

"Of course. Like I said…you're my friends. You help me all the time. It's the least I can do to return the favor."

They climbed in silence for a moment.

"That's a lot of weight to carry around."

She nodded and looked ahead. "You guys are worth it."

He grinned slightly to himself, shaking his head, and continued climbing.

By the time the two joined the others at the top, Kagome found her bag reloaded with almost all of her possessions, save the ones that were lost to the water, and the seam repaired.

Sango smiled. "I found your sewing kit."

Kagome thanked her and bent to heft the heavy-again bag onto her shoulders when a clawed hand beat her to it.

She turned to see a blushing and scowling Inuyasha holding her bag slung over one shoulder.

"You're too damn slow as it is, without all this weight on your back."

He started walking before she could say anything, and they all stared after him.

She smiled and shook her head before following his lead, the other three behind her.

"Very, very worth it."

**o0o**

**Next:**

**Rule Number Nine:**

**Eat what's on your plate. You don't know when your next good meal will be.**

**o0o**

All reviews are appreciated, criticism and suggestions included. It brightens my day to know that someone might appreciate my work.

Thank you for reading.


	2. Rule Number Nine

**Rule Number Nine:**

**Eat what's on your plate. You don't know when your next good meal will be.**

**o0o**

"It's not fair."

From her spot underneath a large shady tree, Kagome watched Shippou with dismay as he greedily devoured yet another box of strawberry pocky.

Sango's hand stilled from tickling a tiny Kirara to look over at the girl. "What's not fair, Kagome?"

Her friend sighed and shook her head, never letting her eyes leave the kitsune. "Teens from my era constantly struggle to keep fit. So, we always have to limit the amount of pocky we eat. And he…he…." She trailed off, waving her hand vaguely at Shippou, who had started on a box of chocolate candy.

She sighed again and looked longingly at the sweets. "It's just not fair."

Sango laughed. "I really don't think you have to worry about anything like that, Kagome. With all the running around you do here in the feudal era, you seem to be in wonderful shape."

When the girl continued to gape at the kitsune, Sango chuckled softly to herself and returned her attentions to Kirara, holding a long piece of ribbon over the fire-cat's head and wiggling it enticingly, laughing when she pawed at it.

It was a beautiful spring day, and the group was taking a much-needed break on the edge of the forest and a large meadow. They had taken down two minor demons that morning, and collected a jewel shard from each. Even Inuyasha was content to relax a while, and he gently dozed in the tree above Kagome.

Miroku, who had been meditating nearby, unfolded himself from the ground and approached the two girls.

"It is nearly time for a mid-day meal. I don't suppose either of you are hungry yet?" He quirked an eyebrow.

Sango looked to Kagome. "Actually, I'm famished. After all that fighting this morning, I really worked up an appetite."

Kagome dragged her attention from the kitsune and looked to her friends, eyes brightening. "Actually, before I came back this morning, I made a lunch for all of us!"

Miroku smiled. "Always thoughtful, Kagome. Thank you so much. I always look forward to your cooking."

Kagome beamed at him and hopped up, brushed off her skirt, and ran to her bicycle to fetch the picnic basket looped over her handlebar.

**o0o**

A short time later found the group sitting on a blanket procured from Kagome's bottomless bag, eating happily from her basket.

Inuyasha surveyed the food before him, narrowing his eyes.

"What's wrong Inuyasha? Looking for something particular?"

He nodded vaguely, lifting up various containers before him, still searching.

Kagome looked around. "Weeelll…the rice balls are by Miroku, next to Sango are the containers of omelet, my specialty, and next to Shippou is the…."

"Ramen."

"Huh?"

"Where's the ramen? I don't see it anywhere."

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou froze with chopsticks at various distances from their mouths.

Sango held her breath. '_Don't, Inuyasha. _Please_ don't. Please, please, please, please, please don't be stupid enough to say what I think you're going to say.'_

Kagome took a deep breath. "Inuyasha…I worked really hard to make all this food. Do you mean to tell me you don't like _any_ of it?"

Her eye twitched dangerously, but the hanyou failed to notice.

"Yeah, pretty much. I mean…it's ok, I guess, but I prefer ramen."

Kagome tried for patience, dug deep to find it and…failed miserably.

Jaw clenched tight, tears pricking at her eyes, she shot to her feet.

Sango's fingers twitched. _'The second she's gone, I'm going to _beat_ him. He won't know what hit him.'_

Kagome turned on her heel and stomped away.

As soon as she was out of sight, Sango made a mad grab at hiraikotsu and…

_Crack._

Sango turned to see Miroku standing next to Inuyasha, his staff in hand, glaring at the hanyou who was now collapsed onto the ground.

"You idiot!"

_Crack._

She gaped. _'I've never seen him really lose his temper like this before.' _

"You…" _Crack._ "Ungrateful…" _Crack._ "Fool!"

Inuyasha twitched slightly from his prone position on the ground.

Miroku took a few deep breaths, clearly trying to calm himself, before sitting down again in Kagome's vacant spot.

Sango turned to Inuyasha, whose eyes held a stunned look, and glared. "She worked very hard to cook for us. She doesn't have to provide us food all the time, you know. Why must you always hurt her feelings like that?"

She was working herself up, and she could feel it. Inuyasha pulled himself up from the ground and scooted his body worriedly away from the woman's slowly rising temper.

"_You_, Inuyasha, are going to learn some manners. You are going to _apologize_ to Kagome, you are going to eat _all _of the food she has given you, and you will _enjoy it_! We will never have to endure this episode again, or I swear to you by all that is holy, I will _rip you into tiny little pieces and scatter you about Japan like the Shikon jewel!_"

Inuyasha trembled from his position on the ground, staring up at the woman who now towered over him. By the end of her tirade she was shouting so loudly Kagome could have heard her from the other side of the well.

Shippou and Miroku backed away from her in fear, but Inuyasha didn't dare even breathe.

She looked around at them and back at Inuyasha before she finally unclenched her fists, loosened her shoulders and took a few deep breaths.

'_Calm down, Sango. Just…calm down before you kill him. If you kill him now, he won't have a chance to suffer for this later.'_

A plan quickly forming in her mind, Sango sat down abruptly and smiled sweetly at the hanyou.

Inuyasha's eyes widened in fear and he leaned back slightly. "Why are you smiling at me?"

Sango continued to grin.

"You're creeping me out! Stop it!"

Sango turned to Miroku, who also backed away slightly in fear. "Miroku?"

"Y-yes, Sango?"

"Make sure this all gets cleaned up. I'm going to go find Kagome."

Miroku nodded quickly as she stood, turned around slowly, and walked away, Kirara trailing after her.

Shippou was still frozen to the spot, a rice ball halfway to his lips. "That was scary."

Inuyasha and Miroku shivered in agreement.

**o0o**

"He apologized to me." Kagome looked to the woman walking on the trail beside her. "Can you believe it?"

Sango smiled to herself. "Yes. Yes, I can."

Kagome looked at her strangely, but simply shook her head and continued walking.

"You know, Kagome…I think you should make another meal. We really do love your cooking, and…and Inuyasha, I assure you, will too." She let her sly smile creep onto her face and chuckled evilly to herself.

Kagome cocked her head to the side. "What are you getting at, Sango?"

"Kagome," she smiled and looped her arm over her friend's shoulders, "Let's talk food. Spicy food. Did you know that dogs have a keener sense of taste than human's do…?"

**o0o**

A trickle of sweat made its way slowly, achingly down Inuyasha's cheek. Sango watched it with relish.

'_Oh, this is too much fun.'_

She almost felt bad for him. _Almost_. But not really.

The hanyou pressed his lips firmly together, refusing to spit the food everywhere.

Sango saw him start to open his mouth, and she let her hand casually move over to her large weapon at her side. Golden eyes watched her hand warily and when she wiggled her fingers, Inuyasha flinched and finally swallowed the mouthful of food.

"Do you like it, Inuyasha?"

He flinched at the sudden inquiry and slowly dragged his eyes from Sango's hand to Kagome's eager face.

"Umm…."

Sango cleared her throat loudly, and he jumped.

"Yes! Yes it's…very good."

"Oh, I'm so glad you like it! Eat up!"

He gulped and looked down at the full plate before him.

On either side of him, Miroku and Shippou happily devoured their own plates.

Sango looked back at Inuyasha's plate. _'Wow. When I told Kagome 'spicy' she sure went all out.'_

Her own mouth was burning slightly from her earlier taste-test. Still, spicy or not, the food tasted quite good. But she could imagine what it was doing to Inuyasha's enhanced senses. Fortunately, she made normal food for the rest of the group, saving that particular plate especially for Inuyasha.

She smirked as Inuyasha took another timid bite, and thought about her earlier conversation with the hanyou.

'_Every last bit of it, Inuyasha, or I rip you apart. It will make hunting for the jewel shards look like a vacation when we have to track down the pieces of your body all across the country.'_

_Inuyasha swallowed and nodded his head rapidly. _

_Sango nodded. 'Good. She worked really hard on this meal. I won't have you hurting her feelings again.'_

True to his word, Inuyasha didn't make a single nasty comment, and he dutifully, if painfully, ate every last bit of his food. When it was finally gone, he thanked Kagome quickly, jumped from his seat, and ran for the nearest water source.

Sango immediately burst into laughter, holding her sides.

"Did you see his face?"

Kagome, giggling madly nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. "Poor Inuyasha." She laughed again and shook her head. "Serves him right."

Miroku grinned and Shippou hopped over to swipe a finger across Inuyasha's plate. He tasted it thoughtfully and hurriedly grabbed for the drink box Kagome had brought for him.

"Wow," he breathed, "that was awful! I don't know how Inuyasha did it!"

"I must admit, it seemed more effective than the yelling and 'sitting' that usually occurs. Well done, ladies." Miroku bobbed his head and stood to his feet. "And now…I'm going to go make sure he didn't die."

Still laughing, Kagome and Sango cleaned up after the meal, and prepared to follow Miroku's exit.

**o0o**

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou stiffened, and refused to turn in Sango's direction, continuing his steady gaze at the moon overhead.

"Come on, Inuyasha, you can't ignore me forever."

Still no acknowledgement.

Sango sighed and seated herself on the log next to the sulky half-demon. "You deserved it, you know. You really, really hurt her feelings when she worked so hard just to try and please you."

He grunted.

"I mean…she wants to make all of us happy, but…she goes out of her way to try and show you that she can do something right. And, when she feels she's let you down, it breaks her heart all over again."

He sighed, but remained silent otherwise.

Sango fingered the bowl in her hands.

"You really think…she's trying to impress me?" It was so quiet that Sango almost didn't realize he said it.

She looked back at him. _'Oh, Inuyasha, how can you not see?'_

"Yes, Inuyasha. She is. She just…wants your approval over something she does. And, as insignificant as cooking may seem, it is just one small way in which she can try and make you acknowledge that she isn't entirely useless."

He looked down at his lap, arms crossed and hidden within the sleeves of his haori.

"You don't have to enjoy everything she makes. Just…don't rub it in her face that all her hard work is a waste on you. And…try and be grateful for the time and effort she sacrifices for us."

He nodded, and continued to study his lap thoughtfully. "This isn't just about her cooking, is it?"

It was more of a statement than a question, but Sango answered anyway. "No. No, it isn't. It's about appreciating what we have…appreciating what others do for us. It's about taking what we get, and being grateful for it."

He nodded again, ears flattening to his skull, oddly silent.

"I'm sorry we tricked you. Truce?" She held out the bowl of ramen in her hands.

He looked up at her and, taking the bowl, he smiled. "Truce."

She sat next to him and watched the moon as he slurped quietly at his food.

Without taking her eyes from the glowing orb in the sky she grinned. "You can't even taste anything now, can you?"

"Not a thing."

She laughed quietly, knowing the burning of his senses would die down by the next day.

He smirked. "I should eat some of that stuff before every one of Kagome's meals. Then my mouth will burn so much, I won't be able to taste any of it."

Still not looking from the sky, she kicked him gently, and he chuckled.

She shook her head and laughed with him.

**o0o**

**Next:**

**Rule Number Eight:**

**Children grow up too quickly. Let them enjoy being young and free…and try it yourself sometime.**

**o0o**

Strike Redkite, JediK1, Tashachan28, thank you for your reviews! I appreciate it very much.

And Lucinda…lol, Muah! I love you. Thanks for pointing out the mistake. I tend to be a grammar nut too, but…I make mistakes , and it's helpful to me that you point out what I have looked over. Silly me. You're awesome, and thanks, I'll fix it right away!


	3. Rule Number Eight

**Rule Number Eight:**

**Children grow up too quickly. Let them enjoy being young and free…and try it yourself sometime.**

**o0o**

"Osuwari!"

_Wham._

"Damn it, Kagome, he deserved it and you_ know_ it!"

The girl let out a loud "Hmpf" before turning on her heel and stalking away, a kitsune grinning slyly at Inuyasha from her shoulder.

Inuyasha mentally strove for patience as he waited for the subduing spell to release its effect on him.

'_That kit's gotta learn! All he ever does is cause trouble, and get pampered. He's gonna end up being some weak, worthless demon unless Kagome lets him toughen up and take what's comin' to him.'_

He flexed his claws and shot from his self-made crater in the earth as soon as he felt the spell lift, and stomped his way after the rest of the group on the trail ahead.

**o0o**

"Ouch…oww…."

"I'm sorry, Sango, I really am trying to be careful."

"I know Kagome." The exterminator bit her lip and cringed as Kagome made another attempt at removing the lollipop stuck in the strands of her long hair.

"Ah, there. Got it." Kagome squirmed uncomfortably, offending candy in hand. "I'm really sorry, Sango."

She sighed. "It's not your fault, Kagome. Shippou's the one who got it stuck there."

Kagome nodded, staring at her feet guiltily. "Well, yes…but I'm the one who gave him the candy and got him all hopped up on sugar so that he jumped on your shoulder and got even more candy stuck in your hair."

"You were just being kind to him, Kagome. I understand. He is just a child after all."

Sango smiled kindly at the other girl, before turning back to her task of cleaning her hiraikotsu.

'_But if that little demon pulls something like that again, I swear I'll let Kirara use him as a chew-toy.'_

"I see Kagome was successful."

Sango glanced up to smile at the monk beside her. "Yes, she was. It's…still a little sticky, but that will wash."

Miroku sat next to her, giving a slight wince that Sango's sharp eyes didn't miss. "Is something wrong, Miroku?"

He smiled back at her, but she could sense a slight irritation in his face. "Oh, it was just a little misunderstanding involving Shippou, Inuyasha, and, unfortunately, myself."

She quirked a brow as he chuckled darkly. "Shippou seemed to think it would be funny if he used his magic to disguise himself as me, and then dump his bowl of ramen over his head before running away. Naturally, Inuyasha came looking to me for revenge."

He gave a wry grin. "Luckily he heard Shippou laughing in the bushes nearby before he beat me too badly. I swore to him I never did what he accused me of, and when we realized Shippou was covered in ramen, well…."

He shrugged and trailed off.

"He didn't hurt Shippou too much, did he?"

"No. As usual, Shippou ran for cover behind Kagome, and Inuyasha ended up eating dirt."

Sango chuckled. "Poor Inuyasha."

"Indeed. I'm not too inclined to feel badly for the fox anymore. He needs to grow up a bit. He grimaced and rubbed his side tenderly. "Inuyasha's fist really hurts when he catches you off guard."

**o0o**

"A story, Kagome? Please?"

Inuyasha watched as she tucked the tiny kitsune into her sleeping bag. _'Babying him again, as usual.'_

"Sure, Shippou. What kind of story would you like?"

"About you!" He smiled up at her. "I want a story about you when you were my age."

She smiled. "Hmmm…about me. You know, I don't really think there is anything very interesting to say about me when I was little. I was a pretty average little girl, with an average life, an average home, and an average fam-…." She choked herself off and bit her lip, looking at the ground in sadness.

'_Aw shit.'_ Inuyasha looked away. _'It's so easy to forget. She lost one of her parents when she was little too….'_

He looked up sharply when he saw Shippou move to her lap and lift her chin. "It's ok, Kagome. I lost my parents too."

Kagome smiled sadly at him. "Shippou, somehow I don't see how you losing your parents makes it ok at all. No one should have to lose a parent…not when they are so young."

One of the enigmas that the group had discovered about Shippou was this: For a young demon who acted like a child, he held some sort of understanding that would shine through at times, and he would shock them all with his ability to conceive the deepest of thoughts.

It was obvious that, once again, he would astound the group with wisdom beyond his years, and Inuyasha could see Miroku and Sango also watching him intently, shadows of pain behind their eyes, eagerly hoping that something would be revealed to them as well. _'They can feel it too…like the kid holds some secret we've all been dying to know.'_

He looked back at the little fox demon again and scrunched his brow. _'How does he do it? How does he run around acting like a little childish brat at some times, and then other times seem suddenly…grown-up?'_

He was still in Kagome's lap, staring intently into her face. "Sango lost her mother when she was little…and then her father later on. And Miroku…he's an orphan too. So is Inuyasha. And you…you lost your father. We all lost either one or both of our parents when we were very little."

He shifted his weight to sit on her leg, and he held one of her hands in his, stroking the back of it. "My mother once told me that it's the things we learn from each other that truly keeps us together. Like…you'll always be with me, because the lessons I learned from you will always be with me. Do you see? And…the words that my papa and mama always said to me will stay, so I'll never lose them either, because they are a part of who I am. The things that they taught me are what make me who I am today. Like what you've taught me, Kagome."

She smiled at him. "What did I teach you, Shippou?"

"You taught me that I can be strong, even though I am small. And you taught me to appreciate what I was given, and be thankful for what I have. And you taught me how to love my friends and family above all else…and that if I didn't have a family left, to love my friends as my family. And the things you taught me…they helped make me, well…me."

He turned to the man to his right. "And Miroku." Inuyasha saw him jump slightly at being addressed. "He has taught me how to be more patient, and that life is worth living, and determination is a valuable strength. And that having a sense of humor and a smile can help me get through the bad times."

Miroku grinned at him, and Inuyasha could distinctly make out a slight blush dusting his cheeks.

"And Sango." It was her turn to be startled now, and she ducked her head at the sudden attention she was receiving from the group. "I learned from her that, even if we lose someone, we should always treasure their memories and honor them, the way she honors her family and her village and the things they taught her. And I learned that true strength comes from within. I also learned to never let go of the hope that things will get better, the way she never lets go of the hope that Kohaku will be ok again."

Inuyasha watched her as she sniffled and squirmed slightly before Shippou's attention went to himself.

"And Inuyasha."

Shippou smiled at him as he felt his eyes widened. _'You're kidding, right?'_

"Inuyasha taught me to be true to myself. He hasn't admitted it to himself yet, but…he's proud of who he is. And he puts others before himself all the time. He'll gladly risk his life to save any of us, without a second thought. And I…I wanna be just like that."

Shippou swallowed and stared at him a moment while Inuyasha stared back. _'He…he wants to be like me?'_

The kitsune turned back to Kagome. "I bet your father taught you stuff. Or, I bet the way he lived his life taught you things. He set an example for you, and he loved you…and he helped create who you are today. None of us really consist of our own unique parts. Those around us give us bits and pieces of themselves, and that is what we are made of."

He jumped back into Kagome's sleeping bag and snuggled down, yawning widely.

"Mmmm…so sleepy. Goodnight Kagome. Goodnight everyone."

Kagome swallowed. "Goodnight, Shippou."

Inuyasha heard the rest of them give their goodnights before giving his own. "'Night…Shippou."

The rest of them eventually made their way into their own sleeping spaces, but Inuyasha stayed up long into the night, trying his best to examine what pieces he was made of, and who they were from.

He wasn't surprised at how many pieces came from the little group of friends around him. What shocked him most was…how many of them there were from the tiny kitsune snoring gently next to Kagome.

How is it that he was capable of such deep thinking and capable of impacting everyone so forcefully, and yet still acted as a child?

He thought on his own childhood, and about what those of the group around him must have been like. None of them could have been easy.

'_I think…I think we all just…grew up too quickly. We had to. And…and I suppose that just because we did, and we didn't get to experience all the joys of being young…doesn't mean he shouldn't.'_

Inuyasha nodded to himself before calling it a night.

'_I suppose it wouldn't hurt to be just a little more tolerant of the kit after all.'_ He grimaced. _'But only a little.'_

**o0o**

**Next:**

**Rule Number Seven:**

**Be yourself. Your identity defines you, so make sure it is one you can be proud of.**

Yeah…sorry about the small delay. I went to visit my little brother for the day.

Anyhoo, on we go:

FF:

AnimeFan300: Thanks! Glad you like! I will try my best to update at least every other day, though things are about to get a little hairy for me as I move back home to Indy, since classes are let out for the summer here at the university. But I promise I'll try and update frequently.

Dragon: I tried really, really hard to stay true to the characters. It's difficult to know what is going on inside of their heads because they are all so deep and complex, but I think I did an ok job, and I'm glad you think so too.

Angel: Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed, and I'm flattered. Hope you enjoy my other two one-shots as well. Sorry there aren't many…I just started writing. Beautiful was my first one, and is most definitely my favorite, as Miroku is my favorite character…so complex and fun to write about. Thank you for your review.

Jedi: Ah… a pun… gee, thanks. Just kidding, you make me chuckle. Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Strike: Ah, and I'm glad you were my first reviewer too! Grin I have a hard time writing humorous, though I consider myself a fairly funny person. It just doesn't come easily for me. I'm glad you found it funny.

Lucinda: Once again…I love you! Your reviews make me smile. Lol, hope your mouth is feeling better, and I'm flattered to be on your list. Thank you so Waves: Glad you liked! Thanks for reviewing!

MM:

Cutie Pie Hentai: I really appreciate that. I found that it takes a heck of a lot of work to write a good one-shot. As I found very few one-shots that I really liked online, I tried writing some myself, and I really enjoy it. Thank you for making me feel like I did it correctly. grin And never hesitate to leave criticism, though I'm very glad you couldn't find any in the last one. Lol…thanks for your honest review.

Dark Angel of Love: Aw, thanks! I will try and update fairly frequently! I promise!

**o0o**

Ok, that's that. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. You have no idea how much your honest opinion means to me. I am always striving to improve my writing, even though I don't consider myself a writer, really. I'm a musician! But…it's nice to know I have some other talents as well, and I like improving them. Feel the love!


	4. Rule Number Seven

**o0o**

**Rule Number Seven:**

**Be yourself. Your identity defines you, so make sure it is one you can be proud of.**

**o0o**

Kagome watched as Inuyasha flicked his ears yet again, and fought the urge to reach out and snag them in her fingers. _'Must…not…touch….'_

"You're kidding right?"

'_But…they're soooo soft, and cute, and….'_

"Oi! Wench!"

The girl jumped at his exclamation, and her gaze shot from his ears to his golden eyes.

She cleared her throat. "Um…what were you saying again?" She had the grace to blush a little as she smiled sheepishly at his rather annoyed face.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes as he glared at her. "Forget I said anything…." He peered at her in curiosity and raised an eyebrow. "Were you…looking at my ears?"

Kagome swallowed and laughed nervously as she spoke. "Of course not! Don't be silly. Why would I be looking at your ears? I mean…not that they're ugly ears, because they're not, at all, I was just…just looking at something over your head. Staring off into space. You're always telling me how I'm never focused. You were right, of course…just…staring…." She trailed off as he inched in closer to her face, never removing his eyes from hers.

She gulped at the smirk that was slowly picking at the corners of his lips. He definitely had a devilish glint to his eyes and he twitched his ears purposely, watching her reaction.

Kagome's eyes shot from his own, to his ears and she swallowed again. _'Do…not…grab….'_

"You wanna touch 'em, don't ya? I can see it…." He twitched them again and watched her nibble at her lower lip.

She stammered. "I…I don't know what you're t-talking about."

He leaned down closer until his nose was less than millimeters from hers and twitched them again.

Kagome gnawed at her lip more furiously as she clutched at her skirt to stop her sorely tempted fingers.

He chuckled darkly and twitched them again before pulling his head back suddenly, turning on his heel, and stalking away.

Kagome gaped for a moment before she shook her body into motion and followed him.

"Wait! Where are you going?"

"Back with the rest of the group."

"But…but…what was all that about!"

"About how you can't seem to pay attention when someone is talkin' to ya. Stupid wench." He shook his head full of thick silver hair and rolled his eyes.

"Ok, ok! I'm sorry." She grabbed at the sleeve of his fire-rat haori. "Come on, Inuyasha. Let's just…talk. This time I'll pay attention, I promise."

He stopped and turned to her. Kagome opened her eyes wide and smiled enticingly. "Please, Inuyasha? We never get to talk…just the two of us."

He rolled his eyes again and plopped down in the middle of the field they were crossing. She sat next to him, and they were still for a moment, listening to the wind gently rustle the trees of the forest ahead of them, and the babbling of the brook water behind them where they had gone to refill Kagome's bottles.

'_Great…so now that I finally got him to sit and talk to me, what do we talk about?'_

She cleared her throat softly. "Inuyasha?"

He grunted.

Kagome fidgeted slightly, pulling at her green skirt thoughtfully. "Do you still want to turn into a full demon when this is all said and done?"

He closed his eyes and shifted position, hunching forward so that his bangs hid his face in darkness. Moonlight reflected off of his hair, and Kagome marveled at the silver quality of it. _'It could put the moon itself to shame.'_

"Why wouldn't I?"

The softly-uttered question caught her off-guard, and Kagome blinked her eyes a few times, pondering her answer.

"Because…that's not who you were born to be."

He straightened at that, and turned his head to look at her. "What's that supposed to mean? You are who you make yourself to be. You're not…you're not _born_ to be anyone."

She looked down and fingered a few blades of grass. "Well…that's true in a way. But, that can only go so far."

"Feh. How so?"

Kagome flopped onto her back with a loud sigh and stared thoughtfully at the stars. "In my time, when you're little and in school, everyone always asks that one important question that every child ponders at almost every moment of the day. 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'"

She chuckled softly and turned her head away from the hanyou beside her to stare into the distance in memory. "And out of all of my friends, I was the only one who never had an answer. I had no idea. I – I still have no idea." She frowned and worried her lower lip a bit with her teeth before continuing.

"It's a terrible feeling, not knowing what you're destined to be – what you're destined to do. And I used to feel lost, because I felt like I was the only one without a goal in life. My mother found me, once…sitting beneath Goshinboku, crying after school. She took me inside, held me in her lap, and made me explain what was bothering me."

Kagome remembered the moment with clarity.

'_But they said that if I don't know what I want to be when I grow up, that I'd never become anything! The other kids…they all know whether they'll be teachers, or doctors, or lawyers. I-I don't have any idea what I want to be!'_

_Kagome's mother smiled down at her. 'Kagome, my darling. You are and always will be Higurashi Kagome. You are and always will be a wonderful, loving girl. You are and always will be loved by your family and your friends. And that, my dearest daughter, is all you need know about who you will be in the future. The rest will shape itself. You…you were meant for great things…such great things, you can't even begin to imagine what they are yet.'_

"So, I always just knew that it didn't matter what I would become, because I was born to be Kagome, I was born to be a good and loving person, and I was born to be something wonderful."

Inuyasha scowled. "Yeah, well, maybe some of us weren't born to be something great. Some of us have to change to become something worthwhile."

She gazed at him with saddened eyes. "Is that what you think of yourself, Inuyasha? You think you were born as a nothing…a nobody, with no future? With no hope?"

He didn't answer.

"You, Inuyasha, are one of the most remarkable people I've met. You put yourself in danger selflessly time and again to protect those around you, even when they don't deserve it or are not grateful for it. You use your strength and wit in order to help others and to do what you know is right."

When he huffed and turned away from her, something inside of her snapped, and she shot upright and grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to face her. He looked startled at the anger that sparked in her brown eyes.

"Just because you were born to be different from others, does not mean that you were born to be less. Inuyasha, you were meant to be something bigger and better than you and I can perceive. There is greatness in you that is yet to be unleashed, and I can tell you right now that it will not be released by becoming a full demon. You are a hanyou. You are a mix of the two greatest beings ever to walk the earth. You are the very best of both worlds. You have the abilities of a demon, and the heart and loving attitude of a human."

She was directly in front of his face by that time, and looked intensely into his eyes. She quieted her voice. "Inuyasha, you were born to show the world that the prejudice that exists between humans and demons is not justified. You were born to prove that hanyous are not to be looked down on."

"How do you know that?" Inuyasha jumped to his feet and glared down at her in a mixture of anger and uncertainty. "How do you know that I wasn't meant to change into a demon…to change into something stronger and better!"

Kagome jumped to her feet as well, and shouted back. "Because there is nothing better than what you already are, Inuyasha! You lose yourself when you're in a demon form. You don't know any of us. You lose your self-awareness, and you lose the ability to make decisions! And that awareness… and that ability…those are what make you who you are. That is what helps you make the choices that can make your life mean something."

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped and he looked suddenly tired, and forlorn. "Kagome…I haven't found the choices that could ever make my life mean something. I'll always be the filthy hanyou, no matter how many good decisions I make."

She grabbed his hand in hers. "You took the life that was given to you, and you improved upon it…you molded it into something wonderful. Your decisions made you who you are today. Good decisions and bad…they all brought you to where you are right now: the middle of this field, under a beautiful moon, with a friend who thinks the world of you staring you in the face, and more friends waiting for you when you return to the camp for the night. You have a kitsune who looks up to you as his hero, you have a man who turns to you for friendship, and a woman who depends on you to understand what it is like to be a warrior."

She stared down at the hand she held in hers. "And you have a girl who thinks you're the most wonderful person she's ever met, and who loves you just the way you are."

Kagome swallowed and looked back to his face. "You took your life and did the best you could with it."

A tear escaped her eye but she ignored it. "Inuyasha…please, _please_ don't change all that by turning yourself into something you're not. You are who you are, and I love you that way."

She dropped his hand and turned away, uncomfortable with his silence.

Inuyasha stared at the hand she returned to him. "She was right, ya know."

Kagome started and turned back to him. "What?"

"Your mother…she was right. You were destined for great things."

He dropped his hand to his side and looked up at her. "You traveled through time, saved lives…saved me."

She smiled at him, and held out her hand. "You were too…you just didn't have anyone around to tell you so…until now."

He grinned softly and took her hand in his own, and the started their walk back to camp. "For the record, Kagome…I really like where I am: in the middle of this field, with you and the others."

She laughed. "I know you do, Inuyasha. I know you don't want to be a full demon just to leave us. But, you have to know that being a full-blooded demon doesn't mean your life will be better or easier. It's your friends that will do that for you. Your friends, and the decisions you make, not what type of blood flows in your body."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I hope you're right."

"Just trust me on this one, the way I always trust you."

They continued back to camp, Kagome swinging Inuyasha's arm playfully with hers. "You know my real reason for not wanting you to change, right?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Real reason?"

She giggled and shot him a mischievous smile. "I'd miss those cute little hanyou ears of yours." Her other hand shot out, snagged the closest ear and give it a quick rub before taking off toward the woods.

Inuyasha gaped at her, before narrowing his eyes and yelling, "I _knew_ it! You _were_ staring at my ears!"

He shook his head and smiled before taking off after his friend.

**o0o**

**Next:**

**Rule Number Six:**

**You don't know what you've got till it's gone, so be thankful for what you have while you have it.**

**o0o**

**A/N: **

Ahhh! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_! I just… I got total block when it came to writing this one. I honestly did. I couldn't think of _any_thing. Even now, I don't like what I wrote. I was trying to go for something different than the typical: "I love you the way you are, don't change" deal. I'm not sure if I did, but I figured I better post it anyway. If I come up with something better later, maybe I'll go back and change it. I wanted to show that Inuyasha made himself into something more than was expected of him. Blah, I'm sorry, I apologize profusely.

Anyway, hopefully the next one will be better. Unfortunately, I used my best idea for the next chapter in The Tree and The Flower, so I'll have to come up with a different approach…though I still want to use Sesshoumaru, because he's so much fun to write.

Also, if any of you ever want to talk to me, my screen name on AIM and on Yahoo is MissMusicality. Or you can email me using the address on my profile. I would really love to talk to some of you! If you have any suggestions, that would be the way to get them to me.

**Thank You's: **

Strike: You're such a faithful reviewer. Thank you sooo much for your support.

Lucinda: Once again, your review has made me laugh. I love you, love you, love you! (And for the record, Miroku is my favorite as well!)

Jedi: It's totally true! I've noticed that as well. Whether intentionally or not, children that have lived rough lives are always teaching me things. I do missionary work in Mexico ever summer, and it's incredible how much those children teach me without even trying. Thanks for your review. I appreciate it.

CrmsnBtryl: You've reviewed each of my stories, and even added them to your Favorites list! Can I just say… I love you! Seriously, thanks for all your support. It means so much to me.

Pyrinsomniac: You crack me up, you really do. Thank you for your reviews on all of my stories. You cheer me right up. You have excellent comments in your reviews. It's good to know that my writing style is successful.

Green Fey: Thanks! And thanks for taking the time to review. I'm glad you like.

Medlii: Your reviews are very special to me, and here's why: I discovered that every situation in life can have a moral to it…a lesson to learn. And I'm glad to know that I can make mine interesting. It's good to know that I am keeping them in character…sometimes I wonder. And by the time this is over, I will try to have used every main character I can, and maybe even some that are not so common, I'm not sure yet. I have plans for Sesshoumaru, Kagura, and Rin, I believe, as well as those that belong to Inuyasha's core group of friends. Thanks for taking the time to review each chapter!

For those that have added me to their Favorite Authors list, or have added one or more of my stories to their Favorite Stories list: I'm SO flattered. You wouldn't believe it. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside…like I just ate a kitten. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

**o0o**


	5. Rule Number Six

**Rule Number Six:**

**You don't know what you've got till it's gone, so be thankful for what you have while you have it.**

**o0o**

The sun poured its heat from its perch in the sky, directly over Sesshoumaru's billowing silver hair. His golden eyes moved smoothly over his surroundings, coming to rest on the little girl behind him.

"Come, Master Jaken! The water is wonderful! So nice and cool!" She flicked her tiny hands across the top of the crystal surface, and sparkling droplets leapt from the river she was standing in to land on the small demon perched cautiously on the bank, cleaning his staff.

Sesshoumaru cringed inwardly as Jaken's shrill voice rang out in the small clearing, and he did his best to ignore the shrieking of the indignant demon.

They were not far from a village. The demon lord could smell their presence slightly east of his present location. The thought of leaving the girl there fluttered through his mind, and he let it leave as quickly as it came. The idea always passed through his brain when their entourage encountered a village, and he always ignored it. He never questioned his reasoning, but simply moved on, the little girl and his faithful retainer at his heels.

"Jaken."

"Yes, my lord?" The green creature looked up at Sesshoumaru's impassive face.

"Stay here with Rin."

"B-but my lord…."

Sesshoumaru walked away from the stuttering demon, chuckling softly in his mind. The demon lord found that he enjoyed giving as little information as possible to his poor retainer, taking pleasure in how flustered he would become. It would be so very simple to tell him, "I'll not be far, and will return by sundown. Don't worry; I'll be sure to come back for you."

'_Ah, but leaving him without reassurance will only make him stronger. And…it's much more fun to torment him.'_

The little girl, he noticed, never once worried that he would not return. It was always, "Yes, my lord, I will see you when you return." Or, "Yes, my lord, I will wait here for you." Never stuttering objections, never frantic worrying…not from Rin.

'_As faithful as a dog_.' The thought gave him pause. _'Hmmm…maybe that is why she is so easy to tolerate.' _The dog demon almost grinned. _Almost._

He continued walking in his ever-patient way until he could feel that he was quite secluded, in a small clearing in the forest they were traveling through. He found a clear piece of ground beneath a large tree and sat down, gracefully pulling one leg up toward his chest, and letting the other lay long and flat along the ground.

He leaned back against the tree behind him.

'_Peace.'_

It took a great deal of patience to put up with the pair that followed him daily, and it took a great deal of effort to block them out. Either way he went about handling his situation on a daily basis, Sesshoumaru found the need to pull away and be to his self every now and again.

It was in silent moments such as these that he was able to think. Thinking was what got him so far in life. Thinking is what made him a strong lord, and thinking was what placed Sesshoumaru on a higher level than other demons.

'_And, though there is the very important fact that I am a full demon while Inuyasha is only a hanyou, thinking is what makes me truly different from my dim-witted half brother.' _

He furrowed his brow. _'Damn.'_

Every time he finally found the peace and silence that he needed to meditate and think on his situation in life, his mind somehow found its way back to Inuyasha.

'_Well…he _is_ my brother. _Half_-brother. It is only natural that he crosses my mind now and again.'_

True enough, if he would be honest with himself, Sesshoumaru found his current relationship with his brother…unsettling.

'_He…is the only family I have left. We are the last of our bloodline.'_

He pulled out his sword.

'_Tenseiga.'_

He lifted it, horizontal to the ground, and examined it the way he had done thousands upon thousands of times before.

'_Father…I wish I understood.'_

Sesshoumaru shook his silvery head slowly, knowing he was lying to himself. He understood perfectly well why his father had left him Tenseiga, and not the more powerful sword Tetsusaiga. Bokusenou already explained to him that Tetsusaiga held in Inuyasha's demon blood, saving him from an eventual mutilation of himself, and those around him. And his father had made it clear before he died that he felt Sesshoumaru was becoming too power-hungry, too…

"Ruthless."

He let the word hang in the air for a moment, staring at his sword.

He lowered it, finally, and closed his eyes, dropping his chin. _'It's…it's true. I was absorbed in greed. All I sought was a position at the top…over all others. And I sought it so frantically, I wasn't thinking clearly.'_

Sesshoumaru despised those who did not think their actions through. His own half-brother personified this characteristic. Inuyasha would persistently seek to obtain his goals with a single-mindedness that baffled those around him.

'_It's almost as if he hasn't the brain power to think through his options. He always rushes in with that damn sword and swings it around, screaming profanities and practically foaming at the mouth.' _

He smirked dryly. _'If it wasn't so pitiful, I'd find it entertaining the way he attacks, realizes that his attack will get him nowhere, and then…attacks again anyway.'_ He shook his head in befuddlement. _'Fool. He never stops to take in his other options. If it weren't for the rest of his pathetic little group, he would have gotten himself killed long ago.'_

Sesshoumaru let his mind entertain him for a moment or two with images of a tiny Inuyasha screaming and attacking a solid wall of rock only to be flung back repeatedly, and returning for more.

He shook his head once again. _'No…no Father was right. My vision was narrow. I wasn't taking in the larger picture.' _

He held up his sword again. 'Tenseiga.'

He had always thought it to be quite useless in battle_. 'In battle, yes. But…afterward?'_

He closed his eyes and let his arm drop to his side again, sword resting against his leg. _'I could revive those that were killed. But…the only ones dead would be my foes, and why would I revive them after taking the time and energy to kill them?'_

He opened his eyes to glare at a nearby tree, which held quite still under his scrutiny. _'Unless I had allies fighting alongside me, and they fell in battle. But since when do I need allies? I fight, eat, sleep, travel, and live alone.' _

His brows shot up momentarily.

'_Well, shit.'_

How very easy it was to forget that he now had traveling companions. They were so insignificant, he hardly thought of them, though they were always there at his side, or standing just behind him. Or, in Jaken's case, firmly planted in the ground beneath his foot.

'_But if I hadn't been given Tenseiga…I would be alone.'_

It was true, the only reason Rin was in his company was because he had revived her with the healing power of the sword. And Jaken would have been dead long ago had Sesshoumaru not saved him with Tenseiga as well.

And somewhere, deep in the recesses of his subconscious that he would rather not explore, Sesshoumaru knew that he must have had a reason for keeping the two with him. Even the silent two-headed beast served purpose, but in no way could he see how Jaken or Rin could be of any use to him.

'_Except for entertainment value. Kicking Jaken has always made me feel much better.' _

But Sesshoumaru never did anything without reason, so he knew there must be a very good explanation as to why he kept the two around. However, he didn't wish to know what the explanation was exactly. He just followed his instincts, and trusted his mind to lead him in the right direction.

He thought again of Tetsusaiga. _'Inuyasha, you can take down all the enemies in the world, fight terrific battles, accomplish all that you dream of…but if your precious companions were killed, would you trade it all in to save them?'_

Sesshoumaru was nearly immortal. He would live for ages…already had lived for ages. He thought human life to be inconsequential because their existences were so very short…tiny dancing flames in the breeze, just waiting to be snuffed out. But…these mortals valued their lives _because_ they were short.

'_But if I was mortal too…and every second was meant to count for something, I suppose nothing would be insignificant, would it?'_

He gazed at the sword in his hand. _'And if it were me in your place, Inuyasha? If you had been given the power to heal, would I still long for what you possessed?' _

Fading sunlight glinted off the sword.

Visions of a tall and powerful youkai walking alone in the darkness flashed through his mind. He lived in majesty, only to destroy all of those that might be able to recognize his capabilities. He killed off all those who might fear and respect him. He lived alone and friendless, fading into legend, hated by all who heard his name.

He closed his eyes. _'That will not be me. I won't let it come to that.'_

And then he envisioned a little girl with wide, adoring eyes, and a faithful retainer full of respect for his master. They would be gone so very soon. Well, the girl would. The demon would most likely live much longer than she, but not nearly as long as Sesshoumaru. And when they did disappear from existence, would he miss them? Long for their presence?

He sheathed his sword and stood slowly, looking into the darkening clearing. Twilight sank softly through the leaves, dripping onto the forest floor, gradually filling it with a murky haze.

The demon lord silently began his trek back to his revived companions, marveling at how they would have ceased to exist had he not been there with the sword he had loathed for so long.

'_And if they are killed…would I revive them once again?' _

He knew in his mind that an existence without someone to care whether you lived or died was a meaningless existence indeed.

'_But…if Inuyasha were killed? Would I revive him? The brother I despise? The stain on my bloodline?' _

He stopped by the river where he had left the others behind.

He looked at the little girl picking flowers next to the small, faithful demon seated in the grass, and could almost see a little hanyou with silver ears, playing next to his older brother.

Sesshoumaru felt a pang of regret that the idyllic picture in his mind had never existed. It seemed he was always repressing one painful regret after another. He often wondered how he could stand so tall with them all weighing down on his shoulders…it was no way to walk through life, lamenting every decision made.

He gazed at the darkening sky, thinking on the half-demon that always haunted his thoughts.

'_Would I miss him if he were gone?'_

He thought of all the things he had never said to Inuyasha. It wasn't his fault he was born a hanyou. It wasn't his fault he was caught between two worlds.

He swallowed, and answered his own question in a whisper.

"Yes…I would."

**o0o**

**Next:**

**Rule Number Five: **

**Don't expect life to be fair, because it won't be.**

**o0o**

Alright. I'm sorry. I know, I know…I suck at updating. But it's just so hard when it's summer! I don't have any homework to avoid by writing stories!

And this one was hard because… I kept going off subject. I was trying to make it something different than The Tree and The Flower.

Any artists out there? If I could draw, I would dearly love to draw a picture of Sesshoumaru sitting there, imagining a tiny little Inuyasha repeatedly attacking a brick wall. Ah, it makes me giggle and chortle and snort and all that jazz. I can just see him… with a tiny little voice screaming curses at the wall of rock for not falling nor fighting back. Teehee. gazes off in the distance, laughing at her little images Now there's a good pic… A picture of me, imagining Sesshoumaru imaging Inuyasha attacking a wall… buah ha ha. I need to learn how to draw. I'd hang that one up on my wall for inspiration.

Ok, tiny rant over.

I am trying not to think about how complicated the next Rule will be… because I'm definitely thinking Kagura. Eesh. I don't know… we'll see if it works.

OH OH! I have an idea for a little, erhmm… off subject one shot I want to write. It's going to be started TONIGHT! Though, it will probably not be posted for a while… unless I stay up late and finish it. (Which would probably be better, as I get a little crazier as the night progresses.) Anyhoo, it's about the cliques I've noticed that occur in Inuyasha fanfiction. It will be chaos! Anarchy! Full scale blow out! CRAZINESS! Ah, I'm so excited. And it will be my one proper chance to release some of this pent up sarcasm I've got going on. Weee!

As for this one… I'm sorry. It sucks. It must be rewritten… not entirely, but mostly, I'm sure. I already have some ideas on how to fix it, but… for now I'm putting it out there for input, and because I'm terrible at updating. Heck, I might just leave it the way it is, and hope for something better in the future, rather than trying to fix what's already been done.

And, I haven't been just lazing about doing NOTHING while I haven't been updating! NO! I wrote a contest piece. So…you should go read it and tell me what you think of it. It's at MMO, and the link to my work on Media Miner is on my profile. I would put it here, but… it's original. And… this is a site for fanfiction, and NOT originals. So there we have it. I wrote it for a contest, but dedicate it to Jen, because I luff her and she was my inspiration! luffs the cutest CutiePieHentai

And, off topic, HOLY CRAP! Beautiful actually made it onto a C2! (sigh it will always be my favorite piece… no matter what I write. It was my first one ever, and I will treasure it always. Squee!)

**FFN:**

_Pyrinsomniac: hugs back Ah, of course you have been helpful! And I very much appreciate you taking the time to write. I, personally, suck at writing reviews. But you do a fine job of giving me the fuzzies!_

_Strike: My dear, I don't think I want to know why you have come about the knowledge that kittens are not tasty! I hope it wasn't from personal experience! Eeep! _

_Medlii: Ah, thank you for the input, and encouragement! I appreciate your reviews!_

_Tasha: Thanks! And I'll try not to disappoint. _

_Lucinda: You know, I believe we are kindred spirits! We both adore Miroku. (It's true… he's Teh Hotness yum yum.) We both hate it when people end stories all mushy like and out of character. We're both… um…slightly rambunctious? Crazy? Mildly psychotic? (Just kidding on the last one… . ) And thanks… I like things to be brought full circle. Even though I didn't quite make it with this one. It was more like… a parabola. OH OH! I think I know how I can bring it all the way around. goes to edit story, not bothering to delete any of her previous comment because, dadgummit, she just doesn't feel like it. Ok… I just made some mass editing and adding and… well, that's as close to a circle as I'm gonna get. throws a kitten in Lucinda's general direction_

**MMO:**

_Dark Angel of Looooooove: Teehee! blush Why thank you! I'm glad you likey. And… I'll be better at updating once summer is over, and I have severe procrastination to do. I promise. _

_JEN: May I just say… I LOVE YOU! For those that might be reading this, Jen (CutiePieHentai) is the coolest person ever. You're so insightful and… flattering. Hehehe. And that bit about the little Inuyasha playing next to his big brother? Yeah, that was an extra sappy little bow JUST FOR YOU. _


	6. Rule Number Five

**o0o**

**Rule Number Five:**

**Don't expect life to be fair, because it won't be.**

**o0o**

Sesshoumaru could sense her presence even before he could catch her scent.

And if that hadn't been enough, he always had young Rin to point out the obvious.

"Look, my lord! It's that woman!" The little girl ran up the hill to greet the figure standing alone at the top.

Sesshoumaru paused in his movements and stood silently, staring at her silhouette against the setting sun. His eyes narrowed fractionally. _'What is she doing here?'_

He moved onward, up the hill, Jaken close at his heels, pulling on the reins of Ah-Un.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." She nodded her head at him briefly before turning her eyes back to watch the little girl now scampering about the hillside before her, picking flowers.

Sesshoumaru stopped next to the youkai and turned to glare once at Jaken before gazing out into the setting sun. The green youkai caught his unspoken command and scrambled away to watch after Rin, leaving the two in privacy.

"You sought me, Kagura?"

She smirked and gazed at his stony profile. "And what would give you that idea?

He turned to look at her finally before blandly replying, "Do not play games. You followed us for nearly an hour before you decided to fly ahead and wait. I won't ask again, what is it that you want?"

She grinned and tapped her ever-present fan against her cheek, her other arm crossed across her waist. "A man who gets straight to the point. I like that. But did it ever occur to you that I might have just come to talk?"

"A woman who talks," he said dryly. "What a novelty."

She let her arms drop to her sides as she slowly circled him. "Now, now, Sesshoumaru. Such sarcasm. Tsk." She stopped on his other side, slightly ahead of him and looked out to the horizon. "Alright then. I did come with a request," she finally spoke, all playfulness gone from her voice.

Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to the back of her head, and he could see her jaw working, clenched and trembling beneath her skin. She turned her head over her shoulder and he was startled to see sudden tears springing to her eyes. "I came to repeat my bargain. I'll beg if I have to," she added in a near whisper.

He narrowed his golden eyes. "I do not enjoy sniveling. Tears and groveling will get you nowhere. You have my answer. I have no interest in the jewel, and there is nothing you could offer me that might persuade me to step in."

Something in his mind told him that it was now time to turn his back and leave her alone on the hill, but he didn't. He remained still and watched. It was morbid, really, his fascination as he watched her. It was the same curiosity that draws countless villagers to witness some horrifying event, like a fire, or a farming accident, or an attack or fight. Everyone is pulled by some magnetic force, sucked in against their will so that they may witness the darker side of life. And so it was with Lord Sesshoumaru, as he stood there and silently watched Kagura, the powerful wind demon, crumble and break apart before him, like so many smoldering embers collapsing in their ruin.

She didn't physically fall over, no. Kagura was too proud for that, too strong. But Sesshoumaru stood calmly by and watched her last hope split and crack into hundreds of sharp shards behind her scarlet eyes. Sesshoumaru's word was final, and Kagura knew that once he refused her again, there was no changing his mind.

She let a tear fall over her bottom eyelid and she dashed it away angrily before turning her back on him once again, looking out over the valley beneath them.

She spoke finally, her words even and strong. "I knew it was pointless, really. But… I had to try. I don't belong inside someone else's fist, Sesshoumaru. The wind cannot be grasped and held…it would die."

Sesshoumaru was silent as he watched her kimono ruffle slightly in her precious breeze.

"And yet…he holds you, doesn't he?"

She turned to look at him then, surprise evident in her eyes. She swallowed. "Yes…he does."

"How?"

He watched her wipe a nimble hand across her face once more before she replied in soft tones. "He…he has my…my heart." She shook her head and stared at the ground. "No, that's not right. He…he holds my…" she scrambled for a word, "my essence, I suppose. Not my heart, but its will to beat. Not my body, but its ability to function."

"But not your mind?" He gazed steadily at her as she whipped her head around to glare at him.

"No," she said fiercely. "Never my mind."

She gave her characteristic smirk then as she sighed, staring at the fan in her hand. "A lot of good it does me. I would almost rather be like the boy, Kohaku…mindlessly obeying orders, never knowing what I'm missing in life, never knowing who I am or why I exist. It has to be better than constantly longing for freedom, always knowing that there is another reason for my existence, and yet watching all my hopes of that better life constantly drifting further and further away on the wind."

"I thought you controlled the wind."

She raised startled magenta eyes to his as she gaped, her mouth parted slightly, not breathing. She placed a hand to her forehead, and bit her lip, blinking fiercely.

"I thought I did too." She fought back tears. "But even the wind as turned against me…and it was all I had left."

She threw her fan at the ground suddenly. "It isn't _fair_!" Her scream echoed off the hill across the valley from them. "To have a mind capable of knowing how wonderful life can be, and yet not having any life to _live_ with…" she closed her eyes as two more tears trickled down her cheeks, "it just isn't fair."

"If you long for your freedom and control over your own life so much, why have you not taken it back yet?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "Don't you think I've tried? Don't you think I've done everything in my power? He holds my life in his fist and the more I struggle away, the tighter he squeezes."

She shook her head angrily. "I've bargained, I've fought, I've pleaded…I've tried allies. There is no one I can turn to, and no enemy of Naraku will trust me." She chuckled humorlessly. "Even your brother, the hanyou. I've considered it…helping him. But he and his companions would never trust me or bargain. They hate me as much as they hate Naraku."

She crossed her arms and stared at him, smirking. "Life is not as easy for most as it is for the great Lord Sesshoumaru. You're the most powerful demon here. You come and go, speak and do exactly as you please. No one can stand between you and what you want. Isn't that right?"

His eyes narrowed as he glared at her, but she went on. "Your brother is taunted because he is only half demon, and he is not nearly as strong as you, and yet he fights! He is set on making things right again, and neither death nor injury stop him. And the humans alongside him…their power will never match yours, and yet they also are determined to make a change."

Sesshoumaru clenched his fists but remained silent as she went on.

"You are strong enough to make changes. You have power and control. You are the master of your domain, and do you know what I am? I am a puppet! A _puppet_! That's all anyone sees when they look at me: Naraku's puppet. And because I'm his puppet, I am nothing. I am no threat, I am no companion, I'm not even alive and no one thinks I can even think for myself, because it doesn't matter…it doesn't matter whether or not I can think for myself, because I can't even act on those thoughts. I obey commands, and bargain for the help of those who might actually have the power to change things."

She turned to look at the horizon again. The sun was nearly invisible now, just a slight of pink light above the hills before them. The purple darkness had settled over them like a fine dust, and Sesshoumaru fought the urge to brush it from his white clothing, to scrape it from his skin. Instead, he stood motionless as she slowly reached an arm up to her hair and plucked a white feather from it.

She turned her head over her shoulder once more and gazed at him sadly. "It seems a shame that those who were gifted with the ability to change refuse to step in and make things right. Life…life just isn't fair at all, is it?"

And with a flick of her wrist she was upon her transformed feather, soaring off on the breeze, chasing after a life that the winds of fate were constantly pulling further out of her reach.

"I thought you controlled the wind, Kagura," he whispered softly, almost sadly.

He heard her whisper back into the breeze, "I thought I did too…."

**o0o**

**Next:**

**Rule Number Four:**

**Learn to laugh at yourself, and to laugh at life.**

**o0o**

Huzzah. I wrote something. I've been editing and rewriting my other oneshots, one by one. I fixed most of Rule Number Five, and am going to look at the other rules too. I fixed Beautiful, and looked at The Tree and The Flower, but couldn't really find too much I wanted to change in it.

Anyhow, here it is… Rule Number Five. I dunno…makes me kinda sad. Poor Kagura… she fights and fights to break free only to (eep, **Spoiler**) go and die in the Manga. It's just not fair. But then, life isn't. Frustrating, no?

Well, I started a C2…. Just because I wanted to. Lol, it's for oneshots only, and I know there are already communities for One Shots, but a lot of times they put some really… sucky ones on there. I mean… they just weren't well-written, riddled with bad grammar, and… argh, so frustrating. I mean… no one's perfect, my stuff is full of mistakes, but not nearly so bad as many of these. It's like they didn't even try, or look over their work when they were finished. So, this one is for those with fewer mistakes than most. And, I just started it, so there aren't many in there yet. I'm working on it. If it comes to anything, and I decide to keep it, I'll probably hit some of you with Staff invitations. Woo.

(Oh, and Beautiful made it to another C2, yay!)

For those that have reviewed, I REALLY appreciate it, you have no clue. For those that have added ANYthing of mine to their fav. Lists… wow. I love you, too.

And, I'm going to have to do all my notes to reviewers on the next update, because I'm feeling rather ill at the moment, but want to get this posted today. Know that I love you, and please, IM me or something. Or email. Some have asked if I beta… I do on occasion, and I love to brainstorm ideas for fics. I could use someone to help me on a little humorous project I want to work on, so let me know if you're interested. And if someone wants to bounce around ideas for this next chapter with me… hit me with an IM, because I'm going to have issues with it, I can already tell.

Feel the love, I know I do…


	7. Rule Number Four

**Rule Number Four:**

**Learn to laugh at yourself, and laugh at life.**

**o0o**

'_This could only happen to us. I have never seen a group of people with worse luck. Ever. In my life.' _

Miroku tried his best to remain calm and assess the situation at hand.

"Would someone PLEASE get me down from here?" Kagome frantically tried to maintain her grip on the tree branch she was dangling from.

Miroku marveled that she had even had the presence of mind to grab the branch as she flew through the air. The demon that picked her up was probably the most disgusting one he had ever seen. _'And I've seen a lot of demons…._' It had sniffed at her hair, sneezed directly all over her, and flung her to the side, into a very tall, very decrepit tree.

_'I can't believe that smelly thing was able to move so fast!'_ One second, Kagome was behind him, and the next she was in the demon's fist, angrily ordering it to put her down. The thought of her making demands of the brute would have been more amusing had it not been such a dangerous situation.

_Crack._

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Miroku ran beneath the breaking branch, ready to catch the woman should she begin to fall.

"Hang on, Kagome!"

"What does it LOOK like I'm doing, Miroku?"

'_Ahh…good point.'_

He turned to the side. "Inuyasha, could you hurry it up, please?"

The hanyou growled, leaping from one side of the demon to the other. "I'm trying, you asshole! I can't even figure out what this thing IS let alone how to kill it!"

Suddenly the demon scooped Inuyasha up into its clawed hand, sniffed at him, favored him with another sneeze, and tossed him…well, Miroku wasn't exactly sure where it tossed him, but he watched as the blob of snot-covered hanyou was flung off into the distance, profanities ringing out over the forest.

'_Well, it's got quite an arm.' _

"Jewel…shards…" it gurgled, "it" being a giant blob of greasy fur with a very large, very runny, pig-like snout.

'_Is that an eye or a mole in the middle of its forehead? Oh wait…I think that's its mouth.'_

"Give me shards!"

'_Yes, definitely its mouth. Eesh…'_

Miroku ran into the clearing and prepared to attack when he heard the branch crack ominously and Kagome screamed once again.

'_Shit.'_

He scrambled to get back underneath the branch as she began her rapid descent to the ground, but stopped short when he saw a streak of tan and fire swoop beneath her and Kagome was gone.

"Hiraikotsu!"

Miroku turned to the shout and the whirring noise as the formidable weapon sailed through the air and sliced through the demon.

And it was gone. Torn right down the middle, and left in a steaming pile of…grossness.

Kirara landed next to him and he saw Kagome clinging to the cat's fur, trembling and covered in mucus.

The breaking of brush and loud cursing could be heard as Inuyasha forced his way into the clearing.

He took in the scene before him, looking from Sango, to the steaming pile of remains, and back again, before screaming, "IT'S ABOUT DAMN TIME!"

Sango, having just rejoined the group after a trip to her village to replenish supplies, grinned and adjusted her stance, shifting her weapon from one shoulder to the other.

"Ahem…" Kagome cleared her throat. "I'm pretty sure some of us are in serious need of a bath." She glanced up at Inuyasha, and down at her clothing. "Yep…nearest source of water, please. Now." She lifted a sticky arm and watched as a large stream of mucus dangled from it before dropping to the forest floor. "AGGH! PLEASE! NOW!"

Miroku chuckled and wandered along the path, following Inuyasha's own trail of mucus to the nearest springs.

**o0o**

Sango chewed happily on her fish, listening to Miroku's reports of the past few days. They had been eventful, to put it lightly, and Sango marveled that they were still alive.

She could hear Kagome yelling randomly from the river where she was washing the slime from her body and clothes. She grinned, "Better her than me."

Miroku smiled and chuckled softly. He shook his head, and stared up at the full moon above them. "Amazing, isn't it? All the experiences we've had…the absolute hell each of us have been through."

Sango frowned slightly at the tone in his voice. _'I've never heard him sound bitter before. Ever.'_

He continued, without looking from his focal point in the sky. "I mean, we've each lost both our parents, except Kagome, and she lost her father. And we've all nearly been killed more times than we can count. And we're on a mission to destroy someone who seems to slip through our fingers every time, and we're trying to complete a jewel that is repeatedly stolen from us."

His tone grew angrier, "And every one and his brother is out to stop us, slow us down, or kill us. And those that aren't trying to harm us, certainly aren't trying to help."

He stood suddenly and ran his cursed hand through his hair, ruffling his bangs, growling in frustration.

Sango rose and hovered worriedly behind his left shoulder, wringing her hands. "Miroku…that isn't true, many have come to our aid in the past."

He flung his hand outward, gesturing angrily at the little villages in the distant night. "We con them into allowing us to stay I their homes, for a meal…and you say they're helping us? Don't you ever get frustrated, Sango? Don't you ever want to yell at them? Shake them and pound it into their brains that if it weren't for us, they could be dead by now. Naraku could have the jewel, and they would be destroyed. We are the only people standing in the way of him, and they don't even see it. They think we're dangerous, that we're con-artists, and they try to run us out of town."

He quieted slightly and folded his arms across his chest before whispering, "They curse Inuyasha for being a half demon, and he's saved us all." He shook his head again, and stared at the ground. "We've been dealt a raw deal, Sango."

She bit her lip and nodded slowly. "You're right." She nodded more firmly this time, "Yes, of course. You're right. We have. And it isn't fair."

She caught his gaze. "But you know…we were dealt this lot in life, and there is nothing we can do but make the best of it. We do what we have to. We were chosen to take on these tasks because we're stronger, smarter, faster, and better than the rest. Surely that's _some_ comfort?"

He grinned. "Yes…I suppose it is." He sat down abruptly, as though the energy had suddenly been drained from his being. "We do all we can, and no one can ask more, and we don't know how to give less. I don't think it's in any of us to give up and quiet. Not even little Shippou."

She smiled softly and sat next to him, for once unafraid of his roaming hands. "You know, Miroku, I've never heard you so upset before."

He gave her a lopsided smile. "I usually know how to grin and bear it, and…I usually know that everything will turn out right in the end. Or, as right as they can ever be after all that has happened."

He fingered the prayer beads around his cursed hand, looking at them thoughtfully. "I always figured that…I am who I am, and I have to make the best of it. It's just that…sometimes it gets to be too much, you know? You sit and you think about all the lives gone, and all the people you're fighting for, and how it seems so huge and endless, and at the same time so insignificant because no one really knows how much you've been through, and…you just get so tired."

She smiled and elbowed him playfully in the side. "You? I thought you were tireless. Every time we want you to stop joking and be serious your antics never end."

He gave her a dazzling smile, full of flirtatious sparkle. "Ah, my reputation precedes me. It's true, dear Sango, I am tireless. My 'antics,' as you call them, can last well through the night and into the morning. Would you care to find out just how long I can last?"

Sango stared at him in disbelief, shaking her head slowly. "Unbelievable. I swear, you are just…just…ugh, words can't describe."

He chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows at her, earning a glare from the woman next to him.

They both turned suddenly, at a sudden crashing noise coming through the trees. Both reached for their weapons before realizing that it was simply Inuyasha and Kagome, returning from cleaning their clothes…at opposite sides of the river bend.

Miroku smiled at them both. "Well now. You two clean up nicely." Kagome rolled her eyes, while the hanyou simply glared.

Sango bit her lip. "I can't lie to you…you both looked ridiculous with all the mucous dripping from your long hair."

"You looked like used handkerchiefs."

Sango nearly choked, restraining a laugh at Miroku's remark. Encouraged, he went on. "I must say, Inuyasha, mucous green is a stunning color on you."

Sango could feel her ribs crack beneath the strain of forced silence, and Inuyasha cracked his knuckles menacingly at them both. Kagome pulled him away before he could pounce Miroku, and stood between the two, facing Miroku.

"Knock it off, Miroku, or I won't hold him back next time. That was disgusting." She shuddered before turning back to Inuyasha, "And you…you should at least make an attempt at drying your hair before you catch…ca…ca..ACHOO!"

Inuyasha stared cross-eyed in wide-eyed horror at the long, glimmering strand of snot dangling from the tip of his nose. Kagome covered her face belatedly, blushing furiously before handing him a tissue.

He narrowed his eyes at her, shot a death-glare at the pair sitting on the ground across from him struggling not to laugh, before glaring at the handkerchief held out in Kagome's trembling hand.

He looked back at Miroku and Sango once more and ground his teeth together before opening his mouth to speak. "Not one…word." With that, he calmly plucked the cloth from Kagome's hand, turned slowly back toward the river, and walked away.

Kagome shut her eyes tightly and willed her blush to recede from her features, trying to ignore the sounds coming from behind her.

Sango and Miroku fell into each other, Sango laughing with tears streaming from her eyes, and Miroku gasping for breath, letting it out in silent, overwhelming laughter.

In between laughing pants, he somehow found the ability to speak. "Oh, Sango…I just realized something…" He laughed and wiped tears from his eyes. "It is SO much easier to laugh at the misfortunes of others than it is to complain about my own."

He gasped again, biting his lip. "And no matter how unfair I think life is…never let me complain about it again." He moaned and clutched a stitch in his side. "Because no matter what happens to me, I keep forgetting that it could be far…far worse."

They both stilled suddenly when from across the clearing they could both hear Inuyasha sneeze loudly before his screamed curses echoed through the darkness. Sango looked into the eyes of the man seated next to her, and they both broke into renewed fits of laughter, reveling in the knowledge that even when it all became too much for them to handle, they didn't have to handle it alone. While life had dealt them a hard deal, it had also blessed them with wonderful friendships.

**o0o**

**Next Chapter:**

**Rule Number Three:**

**Think before you speak. Your words can help or harm more than you realize.**

**o0o**

SOOOO, that took me ages to update. I send my profuse apologies to you all. ARGH, I hate school.

I just have to say, the section at the beginning where they are fighting the demon… is my most favorite moment I think I've ever written. It was actually part of another fanfiction I tried writing a while back, but gave up on… so I changed it, and put it in here. I just have this excellent vision of Inuyasha and Kagome dripping in snot, being flung through the air. BA HA HA HA.

Alright so…the next chapter…no clue what to write. Yeah, if I could pass this one off and have someone else write it I think I would. Blargh, so tired. And I need to write chapter four of Taking Over, which I am LOVING to write…no lie, I didn't realize AU's could be so much fun.

Anyhow, I gain a severe amount of inspiration from reviews. Seriously, you guys lift me up. When I don't want to write I think… "But…but there are people out there who are actually being kind enough to review. You can NOT let that go unnoticed! You can NOT forsake their generosity! WRITE, YOU FOOL!"

So, thank you. I love you.


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